This invention relates to the restraint of the lower limbs of a prisoner to a police vehicle and more particularly to a belting system utilizing a laminated fastening strap for encircling the lower limbs of a prisoner, the belt having catch means disposed outside the vehicle to be securely tied between the door and frame of the vehicle, and the laminated strap having synthetic material fastening elements which rapidly adhere when pushed together, the fastening elements being laminated to a backing of sufficient strength to restrain the limbs of a violent prisoner.
As discussed in my aforesaid copending patent application, it is well known in the law enforcement field that substantial physical injury to an arresting officer and physical damage to public property has resulted when a suspect being taken prisoner resists arrest. Although it is notoriously well known to restrain the hands and arms of the prisoner by handcuffs or the like connecting the prisoner's hands together, in front of or behind his or her body, prior to the development of the invention in the aforesaid application, no leg restraining system has been developed which functions satisfactorily. Thus, there are many documented cases in which an arresting officer has been kicked violently as the prisoner is placed into a police cruiser, and also many more documented cases wherein the police cruiser or squad car has been badly battered by a prisoner's feet and legs as the prisoner is being driven to the station house or other detention center. In certain cases the entire partition between the police officer and the prisoner has been shattered, although most damage occurs to the doors, side panels and windows.
The use of shackles or chains to restrain the legs and feet of a prisoner is useful once a prisoner has been subdued, but such leg manacles cannot be readily placed on the prisoner and are not practical for use by an arresting officer. Moreover, unless heavily weighted they would not prevent the prisoner from lashing out with his or her feet.
Because of numerous instances in which police officers and public property have been damaged, violently acting prisoners have been restrained by other means resulting in charges of "police brutality" and, of course, costly litigation and negative publicity.
In my aforesaid copending application a lower limb restraining device is disclosed comprising an elongated strap having one ply of hook and loop fastener elements laminated to a vinyl reinforcing backing, the strap having a grommet or the like at one end through which the other end may be drawn to receive hook and loop elements together to tightly engage the strap about the limbs of a prisoner, while belting is connected to the strap and secured to an anchor within the police vehicle. Although this device functions exquisitely and is finding wide acceptance by authorities, certain authorities have raised the possibility that in the event of an accident involving the police cruiser, the prisoner could be inextricably trapped within the vehicle. It is therefore desirable to devise a prisoner restraint of this type which can be secured and released from outside the vehicle.